


What's yet to come

by Andian



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Future Fic, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-27
Updated: 2012-12-27
Packaged: 2017-11-22 16:23:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/611816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Andian/pseuds/Andian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He isn't Merlin anymore. He hasn't been for a long time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What's yet to come

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kecks](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kecks/gifts).



It's later now. So much later.

He isn't Merlin anymore, hasn't been for a long time. And it had been a long time.  
Too long sometimes, he thinks and then he closes his eyes and desperately tries to forget.

But behind his eyes the Battle of Camlann is still being fought, after all these years and every time he opens his eyes Arthur is asking him to stay with him. 

Kingdoms had come and gone, risen and fallen but the Once and Future King hasn't returned yet and he, he was still here and waiting for him,

He is working the night-shift in a McDonalds now, in a city so big he almost feels like a fool for believing that there could never be anything as big as Camelot. He had mastered the routines now, though it took him some time. The first time he had come across an deep fryer he had looked at it the same way Arthur had looked when he had tried to prepared the chicken for Gwen. 

It's better now though and he had time to get used to it. To the cars, to the planes, to electric light, to pretty much everything that would have gotten him burnt on a stake before it had become normal, ordinary, accepted.

He doesn't use his magic very often, these days. There's little need for them, without a king to serve, a kingdom to protect though at some nights he is sitting in his small bedroom, opening the palm of his hands to quietly watch a butterfly fly through the room.

It's almost three o'clock now and the McDonalds is still filled with people. The city is big, the city is loud, filled with people following the inaudible beats of their own hearts.

It needs help, Merlin sometimes thinks. This city, these people, this country, everything could need someone to help, someone to lead, someone to make them big, or at least bigger then they are now. Or a good fire, he also sometimes think, when it's four o'clock and ten minutes after the end of his shift and someone had thrown up in the restrooms again or someone else had decided that having to wait five minutes for his fries is six minutes too much and the whole word was just being irritating again.

Just like the guy, sitting at the other side of the room. Though it's unfair to think that about him and he knows it. The guy has been coming here for two weeks, precisely at one o-clock, ordering from Amita, who reminds him of a female version of Gwaine, making him trying to avoid her, and then sitting quietly in a corner, eating while going over the notes in front of him. 

He is studying political science, Amita told him when he couldn't, didn't want to, avoid her anymore. Trying to impress his father, she had said. 

He also has a girlfriend, Amita had added with a sigh before turning back to the fries and Merlin had stared at the corner, where the blonde unruly hair was the only thing visible just like he was doing now. 

''The chickenburger is for the guy over there, you mind?''

She might have caught him staring, but maybe not since she just hands over the burger before going back to taking orders.

Merlin takes the burger and goes over to him.

The guy is irritating. More irritating than the girl who tried ordering a McKing and started screaming when she didn't got one. 

And he hadn't even said a word to Merlin. He sighs and just hopes that his shift will end quickly.

''Here is your order.'' he places the burger in front of the guy, carefully avoiding the scattered papers of notes.  
For a moment it seems like the guy is ignoring him and a sudden wave of irritation flushes through Merlin. 

Then he looks up. 

And Arthur is suddenly dying in his arms, again like he always is and Excalibur is in the lake, while Morgana is dead, dead like Mordred and Gwen is ruling and he regrets not coming back, regrets never telling here, regrets all these years spent wandering the world, searching, before he had given up because the Grand Dragon had been right.

''Thank you.'' Arthur says, reaching for the burger.

No, Merlin wants to say, No, thank you, thank you for coming back, thank you for not being just a part of my imagination, thank you for being alive.''You're welcome.'' he says instead. 

And smiles.


End file.
